CHICAGO — Downtown attraction Navy Pier will partially reopen April 30 — and it’s “critical” people support the spot if it’s to remain around, according to a news release.
The lakefront spot will allow visitors into some of its outdoor spaces and attractions, including Pier Park, where people will be able to ride the iconic Ferris wheel, according to a news release. It will also host several fireworks shows to mark the reopening.
The pier has been closed since the fall, when COVID-19 was surging in and around Chicago, for safety reasons and to put less financial stress on the businesses that call the area home. It was the longest closure in the park’s recent history, according to Navy Pier.
To celebrate the reopening, Navy Pier will host 10-minute fireworks shows 9 p.m. Saturdays in May until Memorial Day weekend. The first fireworks show on May 1 will be dedicated to health care workers.
Here’s what will reopen April 30:
- Navy Pier parking garages
- Polk Bros Park
- Peoples Energy Welcome Pavilion
- North and South docks
- Pier Park, including the Centennial Wheel and some other rides and attractions
- East End Plaza
- Tour boats and cruises
- Sable hotel
- Select restaurants, with capacity limits
The park will be open 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Sunday-Thursday and 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday-Saturday for now. Hours may vary in individual businesses.
The rest of Navy Pier will reopen in May. The date is to be determined.
Visitors will be required to wear a face mask and stay 6 feet away from other groups, with “social distancing ambassadors” stationed around the pier who will remind people to stay physically distant. More than 90 hand sanitizer dispensers have been set up around Navy Pier, and capacity limits are in place for Pier Park rides.
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